1811Economy
In 1811, North West Company surveyor David Thompson encountered a group of Native American horsemen at Wenatchee and was invited into a village with huts, the largest measuring ...
1817Economy
Fur traders document friendly relations through the mid 19th century, even during the smallpox epidemic of 1817 and food shortages in 1841.
1856Military
During the Yakima War in 1856, US Army Colonel Wright intervened on a possible alliance between Yakama and Wenatchi tribes by removing the Wenatchi to Kittitas.
1863History
In 1863, Father Respari, a Catholic priest, began his missionary work with local Native Americans.
1888Government
Wenatchee was platted in September 1888 and officially incorporated as a city on January 7, 1893.
1891Government
Frank and Belle Reeves founded The Wenatchee Advance, the city's first newspaper, in 1891.
1893History
Paul, Minnesota, and Seattle in 1893.
1910Crime
On May 22, 1910, the Wenatchee free speech fight occurred when members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) were arrested for speaking in the street in front of the loca...
1911Crime
The town had freed imprisoned IWW members by June; however, tensions resumed in September 1911 when police raided a house rented by six IWW men and arrested twenty-five migrant ...
1922History
In 1922, a Ku Klux Klan chapter of nearly 100 men demanded that black residents leave on threat of violence.
1923History
By 1923 they hosted meetings of up to 400 members and burned a large cross above Fancher airfield in East Wenatchee.
1924History
1924-2023), actress, born in Wenatchee
Casey Parsons (b.
1926Civil Rights
The Wenatchee chapter hosted the 1926 state Klan convention and marched in the Apple Blossom Parade.
1928Government
Wenatchee was once the eastern terminus of the Great Northern electric-driven train service (1928/1929–1956) on its New Cascade Tunnel route via the Chumstick Valley, which wen...
1931History
On October 5, 1931, Clyde Pangborn and his copilot Hugh Herndon landed their airplane, named the Miss Veedol, in the hills of East Wenatchee, and thus became the first aviators ...
1934Culture
Murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department.
1936Disaster
In 1936, with the completion of Rock Island Dam, Wenatchee was protected from the summer flooding of the Columbia River, and the first of 14 hydroelectric projects on the Columb...
1940Culture
== Arts and culture ==
The Wenatchee post office contains an oil on canvas mural, The Saga of Wenatchee, painted in 1940 by Peggy Strong.
1941History
1941), Mormon leader
Chris DeGarmo (b.
1954Sports
1954), baseball player, born in Wenatchee
Joseph Rose (b.
1963History
1963), member of the heavy metal band, Queensrÿche, born in Wenatchee
Tyler Farrar (b.
1968History
1968), NFL player who played for the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions, born in Wenatchee
Hailey Van Lith (b.
1969Military
1969), award-winning journalist, Episcopal priest and theologian, born and grew up in Wenatchee
Bud Sagendorf (1915–1994), cartoonist known for drawing Popeye, born in Wenatchee...
1971History
1971), actress and playwright, grew up in Wenatchee.
1974History
On August 6, 1974, a tank car belonging to Burlington Northern (now BNSF) exploded in the Appleyard Terminal in south Wenatchee, killing 2 people.
1975Culture
=== Modern era ===
In 1975, Stemilt Growers moved its headquarters from nearby Stemilt Hill to Olds Station, Wenatchee.
1987History
The site was uncovered in 1987 and include stone and bone tools covered in volcanic ash from a Glacier Peak eruption approximately 13,410 to 13,710 years before present, as dete...
1994History
The Wenatchee child abuse prosecutions in Wenatchee, Washington, also known as the "Wenatchee Witch Hunt", that occurred in 1994 and 1995, are examples of the hysteria over chil...
2000History
=== 2000 census ===
As of the 2000 census, there were 27,856 people, 10,741 households, and 6,884 families residing in the city.
2001Education
2001), college basketball player, born and raised in Wenatchee
Sammy Charles White, (1927–1991), baseball player, born in Wenatchee
Elizabeth Zharoff (b.
2006History
According to CNN's Money Magazine, Wenatchee had the second fastest forecast real estate value growth in the country for June 2006–June 2007.
2008Architecture
The Riverfront Park Ice Arena closed its doors in July 2008, and Awaken Church was later opened at the site.
2010History
=== 2010 census ===
As of the 2010 census, there were 31,925 people, 12,379 households, and 7,721 families residing in the city.
2012Culture
The district was enlarged to include Chelan County during the 2012 redistricting; Wenatchee was previously part of the 4th congressional district.
2013Disaster
On July 29, 2013, a large wildfire spreading over 31 miles (50 km) south of Wenatchee occurred, affecting over 40 nearby homes.
2014Government
The agency adopted its first electric buses with batteries in 2014, running on three trolley routes in Wenatchee branded as "The Current".
2015Economy
The plant announced in November 2015 that it would be shutting down operations on January 5, 2016.
2017Culture
Wenatchee Pride began organizing LGBT Pride festivals 2017.
2018History
In November 2018, USA Today listed Wenatchee as experiencing the 22nd highest employment growth in the country.
2019History
In 2019, the Wenatchee Valley was named by Forbes magazine as one of the top 25 places to retire.
2020History
== Demographics ==
=== 2020 census ===
The 2020 U.S.
2021Infrastructure
In 2021 Link Transit moved to a "fare free" model and every trip is now "zero fare".
2022Disaster
On September 30, 2022, The Chelan County Fire District #1 and the Douglas County Fire District #2 joined to form one agency known as the Wenatchee Valley Fire Department with Re...
2023Culture
The 2023 festival was held at Memorial Park with an estimated 4,000 attendance.
2024Government
Wenatchee was part of the 12th legislative district with the rest of Chelan County until it was redrawn in 2024 to comply with a U.S.